The formation of the world's newest state, the Republic of South Sudan, was cause for great hope that was soon followed by great disillusionment.

After a history of civil wars and intense conflict between the northern and southern parts of Sudan, there was hope for a more peaceful future for both regions- now turned separate countries. After a rocky start for South Sudan in economic terms, with rows over oil pipelines and worrying levels of corruption, the unfolding of the South Kordofan conflict came as a devastating blow for those hopeful for the future, and as a stark reminder that the possibility of war is far from being eliminated.

As the Society for Threatened Peoples told fairplanet earlier this year, the people in the southern area of Sudan, and those in South Sudan itself, are witnessing another civil war. There are reports of resistance movements in both the South Kordofan and Blue Nile provinces, which are supported by South Sudan. In return, Sudan's Khartoum government has ordered a bombardment of the area. What started as a territorial dispute over the oil-rich Abyei region that is part of the South Kordofan province, has spiraled into a full-blown civil war; the main actors being the Army of Sudan and the banned militant organisation Sudan's People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N).

However, as it is usually the case with politically and economically motivated conflicts, it is the ordinary people that suffer the most. The recently released video depicting an attack by Sudanese government forces on a village in South Kordofan has caused worldwide outrage. The footage was released by the Satellite Sentinel Project (SSP) and shows the officers interrogating and accusing an 18-year old student of being a rebel. One of the men is heard saying: "Get the information from him, then kill him". In an interview conducted after the attack, which can be seen at the end of the video and affirms that the young student, Naim Mohammed Hamad Yagoub, ultimately survived the assault, he tells the interviewer that he was interrogated and tortured for 10 days.

fairplanet.net, Satellite Sentinel Project and Enough Project call on the Sudanese government for immediate action to stop razing, bombing, and the looting of villages. For many of the affected Sudanese villagers, assaults by the government forces end in torture or death. These atrocities are absolutely unacceptable and must end now! Sign our online petition to make your voice heard in order to put pressure on the Sudanese government!